Daily Republican., 1887-02-22
a aIRL's ILL-GOrrEN wnALrH.

ooAAOan0tuk tuC BOuTCG
OF all Nicer Paine's wealth brings 10
mind q number of similar cases where
persons who have suddenly become
rich or have LEFT a great fortune have
been subsequently discovered TO have
owed their wealth to questionable
means or even worse.
Perhaps the most remarkable in
stance OF this kind was case which
happened some years sso In Berlin
A young girl OF marvellous beauty.
highly educated and refined, suddenly
entered Berlin society with the highest
possible introductions. She seemed to
have unlimited wealth at her disposal
Her charities were innumerable. She
gave the most recherche dinners and
entertainments, at which the highest
functionaries and most distinguished
artists, lawyers, literary men and
actors were present. She became So
much the rage that The King Of Prus-
sia-it was before the time Of the Ger
man Empire-expressed a desire to see
her, and she was duly presented at
court. From that moment even those
who had shown her q cold shoulder
because little or nothing was known
of her origin, or the source of her ap-
parently unlimited wealth, no longer
hesitated, and she became an accepted
member of the highest society, es-
pecially as no breath of scandal had
ever affected her fair name.
The police, whose curiosity and in
terest had been aroused to the highest
extent, were utterly unable to discover
anything about her, and had finally
given the affair up as bad Job or as
having nothing in 1t that demanded
their action. One fine day the bubble
burst, and the secret came out at last.
An old and decrepit lady drove up to
the royal palace and demanded an
audience Of the King on business affect
ting him personally. His majesty,
who is very easy of access to bis sub.
jects, at once granted her request She
tottered In, fell on her knees and i'm
plored him, as she was starving and
utterly destitute, to return to her some
Of tAe money she had loaned to him.
"Why, you never loaned me any
money" said the King. who began to
think he was dealing with lunatic.
~ never loaned you any moneyp
she screamed. "Why, have let you
have all my fortunei Two millions!
And here are your letters, stamped
with the royal arms. asking me for
money from time to time, as well as
Others thanking me for the money l
gave you'll
The King took the letters. Truly
enough, it was just as the old lady had
stated; but unfortunately for her they
were all forgeries. When the old lady
found that she had been deceived she
became frantic, was removed from the
palace, and in two days was raving
unatic. But mean while the police
had been enabled to get enough infor-
nation from her to get on the track OF
the criminals. The girl was arrest
ed, to the horror and astonishment of
all Berlin society. 1t was stated that
she was accused of swindling all old
lady out OF tive millions. At the trial
the whole story came out.
The girl had been engaged by the
old lady as . kind of companion.
Urged on by an inordinste love for dis
play and craze to gel into society, she
had hit upona unique way OF getting
money. BY some means or other she
had Of ain d possession OF the royal
paper. md mad 70 ged letter purport-
Ing TO q ne from the King, In which
he spoke Of his unhappy life, and es.
pecla ly Ia poverty, and how much
he stood IN need Of large sum to
meet the mo I pressing debts, failing
In which he would be disgraced for
ever. The young girl showed this let
ter to the old lady, whose synpathies
were at once aroused for her royal
master, and she declared herself will
ing to advance the required amount.
The girl was delighted at being able
TO be the means OF helping his majesty,
took the money, and in due time re-
turned with an apparently autograph
letter Of acknowledgment and thanks
from the King.
This deception this apparently inno-
cent maiden had kept up until she had
managed TO get all the old lady's
money, and might never have been
discovered, so cleverly did she manage
the whole affair, but for the fact that
in her insane desire to maintain her
position as leader OF society she had
never stopped till she had robbed the
old lady of her last mark. During the
course OF the trial this remarkable
criminal appeared utterly unmoved
Questioned as to the reason for acting
as she did, she said:
81 knew ] was beautiful. had a
wonderful education. People said l
was bright, charming, and were for
ever telling me what pity it was L
was poor. To obtain great position
In society and shine as deserved be-
came mania with me. / would not
sell my honor, for that would have
brought me money, but not position.
/ could not have married great
match, for | was an odtcastl am
not sorry for what did, for have
lived in the great world and fooled you
ALL"
She was condemned to term of
imprisonment, which she never served,
for one morning she was found dead
in her cell.
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